Command, Control and InteroperabilityScience and Technology DirectorateU.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security is there to protect our nation’s citizens, but Science & Technology (S&T) specifically is there to anticipate how those threats will evolve and how we can counter them before it’s too late. Through wide-ranging partnerships, S&T is charged with delivering innovative solutions to strengthen America's security and resiliency. S&T pursues a better understanding of stakeholder needs and requirements, and develops innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges faced during day-to-day and large-scale emergencies.

To ensure increased responder safety and effectiveness; effective communications among responder disciplines; and a common operating picture, this panel will showcase a number of initiatives representing S&T’s work in preparing for, detecting, responding to and recovering from an incident. S&T scientist and engineers will discuss how they’re working in cross-disciplines to understand a host of challenges, measure where resources are falling short, and looking to apply knowledge and findings in labs and testing environments.

Learning Objectives:

The panel will focus on four programs and technologies that support:

Standard Unified Modeling Mapping Integrated Toolkit (SUMMIT)

Develops accurate and reliable estimates of hazards from a wide range of natural and terrorist events, analyzes and uses route mapping to effectively manage transportation assets during mass evacuations or the post-event flow of emergency supplies, and conducts analyses to provide a better understanding of possible impacts from natural disasters and terrorist events.

Early Detection/Warning – Detect-to-Protect

Our national infrastructure remains vulnerable, inviting the possibility of a biological attack on major facilities, such as large office buildings, subways, stadiums, and airports.

S&T initiated the Detect-to-Protect (D2P) Bio-Aerosol Detection program to combat this threat. Through the program, S&T is now testing bio-aerosol sensors that can identify and confirm the release of biological agents within minutes.

Providing a gap analysis of the National Hurricane Program (NHP) components and general hurricane preparedness and response, conducting interviews of key stakeholders at all levels of government, and creating a report of recommendations for NHP modernization.

Creating a sustained presence for modeling and simulation within FEMA’s NHP to allow state-of-the-art analysis that is currently only used during operational response activities to be leveraged during planning activities, thus creating a more cohesive emergency response plan.

Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response, or FINDER

Emergency Managers often refer to the window of time where a victim’s rescue greatly increases their chance of survival as the golden hour.

Using low-power microwave radar to detect small movements from breathing and the heartbeat of a buried victim, FINDER quickly directs rescuers to survivors, thereby allowing additional victims to be identified who might have otherwise been lost.